Data from the UK hospitality sector also found there were 25% fewer students available to employ over the summer.
Jules Barons, owner of The Lookout cafe and restaurant in St Helier, said they normally had “lots of applications” from students looking for seasonal work but “we haven’t had as many this year”.
She said she employed “a lot of fantastic young students” who were “a key part of my employment strategy”.
Ms Barons said a mistake made by some students was sending a brief email enquiring if there were any jobs available.
“I like people who make an effort – come in and see us or do a CV or tell us something about themselves,” she added.
She said their student employees were paid minimum wage rising to £26 per hour on bank holidays, which “is a real challenge for a lot of hospitality businesses… so that’s why you will go to some places in Jersey and they are closed on bank holidays because… it’s just too expensive to employ them”.
Hannah Samson from Skills Jersey said they offered a range of support and practical advice for jobseekers including students, including one-to-one bookable appointments.
She said they encouraged students to secure work placements at the age of 14 or 15, with 250 students securing placements in the 2023-24 academic year in either the hospitality or retail industry.
This equated to around 26% of that cohort and could then lead to securing seasonal work, Ms Samson added.